Multiwavelength routing using tunable lasers and arrayed-waveguide grating multiplexers for wavelength-division and space-division multiplexed crossconnects

A new design principle of wavelength- and space-division multiplexed photonic crossconnects using tunable light sources and arrayed-waveguide grating wavelength multiplexers is described. In the proposed design, the two most important features are that there is neither splitting loss of the transmitted optical power nor any active optical components for wavelength routing, except tunable light sources.